THE DOORS' "YES, THE RIVER KNOWS": LOVE, NATURE AND SUICIDE

 

Despite being included on the highly successful LP “Waiting for the Sun” (July 1968), The Doors' song "Yes, The River Knows" has long been confined to relative obscurity.

Its absence from concert setlists, coupled with its soft, muted atmosphere reminiscent of the delicate hues seen in Monet's paintings, has made this tune an underrated gem in the band's discography.

Composed entirely by Robby Krieger, this track represents an innovative evolution of "You're Lost Little Girl", which the guitarist also wrote and which The Doors released the previous year (September 1967) on their masterpiece album, “Strange Days”.

In both cases, the verse unfolds evocatively as an introverted, poetic ballad, before transitioning to a chorus that is simultaneously quiet and resolute.

However, the psychedelic shades of "You're Lost Little Girl" dissolve into the dreamy soft rock of "Yes, The River Knows", whose ethereal melancholy is cloaked in a mainly acoustic arrangement.

The latter is characterized predominantly by the piano, played with great sensitivity and touching creativity by Ray Manzarek.

The instrument's keys are played with an expressiveness that is uncommon in Rock music, echoing the elegant, smooth, lyrical accents typical of Cool Jazz pianist John Lewis (a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet).

The piano part runs through the verse's flowing rhythm with an embroidery of notes. This tender and expressive sonic stream is delicately outlined by John Densmore's brushes (used on his drum kit instead of the usual sticks).

Manzarek also skilfully brightens the melodic contours of the tune, enhancing its caressing intensity and evoking the vivid romanticism employed by Franz Schubert in his early 19^th century compositions for piano and voice.

It is precisely in this vein that the refrain of “Yes, The River Knows” is introduced. Its development is driven by the mournful, clear, and solemn cadence played by the left hand of The Doors' pianist, while his right hand weaves figures rich in feeling.

Manzarek deserves credit for his decisive role in this song, which goes far beyond mere harmonic accompaniment. He narrates the emotions contained in both the musical score and the lyrics with the graceful yet incisive voice of his piano.

The structure designed by Robby Krieger for this tune is pleasantly linear: verse — chorus - middle eight — verse — solo — middle eight — chorus. However, it contains some interesting original touches, such as the shortened verse before the first middle eight (listen from min. 0:49 to min. 0:54).

“Yes, The River Knows” exhibits a passionate sound, as well as a conceptual parallel between the progression of music and vocals on one hand and the lyrics on the other.

In this way, notes and words follow the same path, merging to describe the river's flow: gentle and thoughtful as it crosses the verse; cautiously lively as it encounters the hollows of the middle eight; more vigorous and decisive as it forms the shadowy-toned waterfall of the chorus.

Furthermore, Krieger's lyrics maintain the fascinating dual image of the river throughout the song: it is both a messenger and a backdrop that welcomes the story's unfolding into its magical depths.

Initially, the protagonist tries to cling on to his beloved ("The river told me / very softly / want you to hold me"), then bitterly resigns himself to losing of love itself ("If you don't need me / I'm going but I need a little time"), and finally chooses a tragic end to escape suffering ("Breath underwater 'til the end").

In "Yes, The River Knows," the interplay of overlapping layers (symbols, emotions, words and music) is briefly interrupted by a solo shared between piano and electric guitar (listen from min. 1:26 to min. 1:50).

Here, Krieger's six strings softly dart between sharp-accented glissandos and bends, like flashes of light lazily reflecting off a river's surface surrounded by bushes.

Meanwhile, Manzarek's piano engages in a languid dialogue of space and movement, brightly expanding to fill the gaps left in the solo by the guitar.

Jim Morrison's marvellous vocals complete sorrowful poetry of the track.

In the verse, his voice is persuasive yet burdened by the dejected abandon that characterizes an irremediably rejected heart.

In the middle eight, the vocals sadly acknowledge the lonely destiny of the main character, expressing this painful state of mind through a kind of serene consternation.

In the chorus the singer embodies the dark, unshakable resolve of someone who is about to commit suicide because of love denied, tinging it with low tones and nuances of barely concealed despair.

Overall, Morrison's tone avoids emotional peaks, delving into the storyline with a memorable yet measured vocal performance. Rather than shouting his despair, the protagonist filters his tormented love through a refined dramatic performance.

The frontman seems to be reciting the song's lyrics in a theater stage, using his innate talent to turn the microphone and the recording studio into stage acting.

This expressive quality encapsulates the nostalgic and moving essence of the composition, which is vividly imprinting it in the listener's imagination thanks to Morrison's eloquent delivery of the lyrics.

From the perspective of the rhythm section, Densmore's soft, vaguely jazzy drumbeats cannot be overlooked.

They transcend the predictable boundaries of a percussive line devoted solely to keeping time, instead appearing as an active contribution to the tune's melodies.

Session musician Doug Lubahn's electric bass stands out with its imaginative and unpredictable interventions, particularly the dark glissandos that complement the second verse (listen at min. 1:08 and min. 1:15) and lend additional momentum to the final chorus (listen at min. 2:16).

Finally, it is also worth noting that Krieger's electric guitar does not become audible until forty-two seconds into the tune and, except for the aforementioned solo, it can only be heard just as a light and discreet arpeggio in the background.

Despite being its creator, Krieger chose to play a secondary role in the arrangement of "Yes, The River Knows", knowing that the amazing sound shaped by the rest of the group did not require further additions.

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